Solace
by Truthfully-Me
Summary: Need a self-help book catered to the undead? Leave it to Vicki Nelson to help in her own way. Set after Heart of Fire.


Sunrise couldn't have been slower as it was this chilly evening. Though she cringed slightly at the events that lay before her, Vicki Nelson kept her nerves in check.

_Well, sort of._ Eating lunch with Mike proved uneventful as he, yet again, disproved of her affairs with the vampire. _"He's a bloodsucker Vic," Mike repeated, _causing Vicki's nagging headache to turn into a full blown migraine. She massaged her temples gently; repeating the mental manta her former (_and hippie_) therapist had instructed her to use to control her anger. Vicki glared at her ex-partner, showing him that he would never win the argument and to just let it go. She left the lunch, her headache distracting her from doing any paperwork. The ride up the elevator seemed like hours for Vicki Nelson. Confronting a torn vampire wasn't going to be an easy task…

"_Yeah, because there are self-help books on comforting vampires," she spoke sarcastically as her assistant asked what she was going to say to Henry. _

_Coreen looked at her boss at admiration and fear. Vicki wasn't great at consoling others. At best, Vicki's self-assuring sarcastic attitude was the best at consoling as it got. "Well, just go easy on him Vicki, he-" _

"_He's my partner Coreen."_

"_I know Vicki. But this has got to be really hard for him to process, being tortured by the same man twice in his lifetime." Coreen retrieved the files lying on her boss's desk and shrugged as she made her way towards the door. "Just think about it going in, that's all." As Vicki gathered her coat and told Coreen to lock up, she knew there was no turning back._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As the elevator beeped, Vicki noticed it reached its destination to the fourteenth floor. Vicki was nervous, although she would never tell anyone that bit of information. Her palms began to sweat lightly as the PI considered what exactly she would say to Henry. She wasn't very…well, let's face it…good at comforting others, only when the job on the force required it.

Vicki knocked lightly. Usually, Henry was there before she ever had the chance to knock. After the second knock, she tested the door to see if it was unlocked. She found the door opened, and entered rationally into the home. She kept herself on high alert in case danger was near by. But her heart nearly fell as she saw her vampire hero leaning over his balcony with his shoulders slumped forward. Sadness filled her heart, witnessing her distressed partner, who probably blamed himself for what happened. As if on cue, Henry spoke lowly, almost incoherently to Vicki's delicate ears. She wondered what he said, therefore proceeding towards the balcony entrance. Suddenly, his shoulders slumped back, lifting his head up to face the midnight sky.

"Why are you here?" repeated the vampire, slowly turning his pale face towards his company.

"C'mon Henry, you knew I would show up eventually?" she smirked, hoping to lighten the mood.

_Unfortunately, it didn't. _

"Yes, but I was hoping you wouldn't." He hoped she wouldn't come, at least not for a few nights. But he would be blind to think that she would stay away. Henry was not ready to face Vicki yet, unsure of his feelings and actions. Mendoza's physically abuse would heal, but the crazed priest left a mental imprint on Henry's heart and soul that would take time to heal, if at all. He left Henry isolated and in fear of the beast taking over. Left in a state of unnatural instinct, primitive in all manner and a lavish hunger for blood. Mendoza's trick of feeding his slave the mouse proved ineffective, as Henry lowered the mouse to the ground and released it.

"You should go," he dispassionately demanded, moving away from the balcony walked into his living room.

"Henry, I- I'm just checking up on y-"

"There's no need Victoria, please leave." She knew he wasn't in the mood for comforting, using calling her by her first name when he became frustrated or angry. However, she needed to know that her partner was okay. Almost losing him yesterday night unnerved her, even when he almost could have killed her. And Mike. Deep down beyond her fear of that realization, she knew Henry would never harm her.

"I'm not leaving Henry." She stood her ground, placing her coat on the arm of the couch and crossing her arms over her chest. Henry tried not to listen to the steady sound of her heart, the smell her sweet nectar flowing through her body.

"I was…out of control, feral. He turned me into the animal that I am," he said coldly, his fangs itching to fall.

"No Henry, he tortured you!" she said grasping his muscular arm. When he violently yanked it back, Vicki stood shocked almost to the point of complete frustration. How do you convince a tortured vampire that he was safe now?

"Henry, you were star-"

"I could have killed you Victoria!" Henry was always calm, keeping his beast and emotions in check. Mendoza seemed to imbalance Henry's emotional state. As best as he tried to control his emotions and put the past behind him, it still was a painful past to bear.

"But you didn't!" she shouted back. Vicki grasped his shoulders, finally able to make him look her in the eyes. But when he looked, he saw a ray of emotions: guilt, fear, confusion? As to what those delicate eyes were emitting, he was not sure of, but Henry Fitzroy did not want the burden of his misfortunes to affect Vicki. He had dealt with this kind of torture before, but none that pained him so much. He knew the princely thing to do what not to cry over it, he was a king's son after all! He had an obligation to himself, to hold his head high as if nothing happened, moving on with his life. Vicki had seen the untamed nature of the beast within, yet she had not run away. Was this her acceptance for who he really was or the reluctant fear of running away?

Eyes black as coal and fangs descended, Henry slowly approached the mortal. "Vicki, I am not a man, nor have I been for centuries. You saw what I truly am last night. I could smell the fear pouring in your veins. Your heart beat ferociously at the fear of my nature attacking you. So do not tell me that you do not fear me Victoria!" His voice was stern, yet hidden inside was the haunting images of Mendoza draining his blood and burning his flesh. The horrid confession of his once past love probably was killed by Mendoza years ago. He wasn't certain of things anymore; his life off balance.

Vicki could sense the range of emotions emitting off of her partner. She wasn't sure how to comfort him or if he wanted comfort from her at all. His words seemed to pierce at her heart, his eyes demanding that she leave his place of sanctuary.

Yet, Vicki Nelson was no woman to back down from a case or a challenge. She came to check on Henry and it was in her power to comfort him at all costs. She didn't know how exactly to comfort him, but before she could think words flowed freely from her mouth.

"You know when I was younger, my mother used to always say I had a great eye for things, among other things. I could spot objects a mile away and I used to describe my day in details, even though I knew she wasn't listening. I sued to watch all those detective shows and I always dreamed of being the detective, taking on the bad guys. I think that was when I decided to become a cop. Be one of the good guys," she said, emphasizing good guys in quotes.

Henry did not utter a word as Vicki spoke, choosing not to intrude on this brief moment of vulnerability from a woman who made his breath quicken. He was intrigued by her essence, the drive to help others. He proceeded to the couch where she sat, sitting next to her to hear her tale. She stopped short, looking at Henry as he grabbed her hand, nodding for her to continue her story.

"Um where was I? Oh yeah, time went on and I decided to be a cop. I loved my job and I dedicated everything to it. Somehow I thought I would make her proud by doing something with my life. That backfired," she laughed lightly, shaking her head as she could vividly hear her mother's rants about her life. "All she talks about now is me getting married and having babies."

Henry smiled at her memory, and urged her to continue, rubbing her back in gentle circular movements as Vicki started to tremble lightly.

"I knew something was wrong with my vision, but it never crossed my mind that it would be the end of my career." Vicki paused for a minute, collecting her thoughts and words together. She hated to relive those days, where her childhood dream seemed to blur away slowly. But she knew this would be a chance to reveal more about herself to Henry, just as she started to do with Mike in the early days of their careers.

"Ok. I-I went to the park for my early morning run. All the colors were blurred almost. And when I saw the yellow cartoon tie I gave Mike as a joke at work that day, I could only see the face of the cartoon and not his whole body. "Strange I know," Vicki shrugged, "but that's when I knew something was wrong. I went to an ophthalmologist and he ran some tests, routine stuff. I should have known something was wrong when he made me read those damn letters off the wall. I knew what they were, but when I looked at them again, they seemed to change, almost getting smaller. The first visit he didn't find anything, but he referred me to a specialist on the outskirts of the city to be on the safe side. That doctor discovered that my photoreceptor cells were a bit off. Another round of testing came and went. Afterwards, he diagnosed me with retinitis pigmentosa and gave me the option of informing my superiors myself. So the next day, I handed Crowley my results and she informed me that I had two options: either ride a desk for the rest of my life or formally quit the force. As you gathered, I chose the latter."

Vicki scooted closer to Henry, needed him to understand that she did and does not fear him. "Henry, what happened last night does not," she said, emphasizing the not by bringing his chin gently to face her, "change my view of the man you are. You've lived so many centuries trying to maintain something you've always had Henry."

"And what is that," Henry murmured, his cerulean pupils stared at the woman before him.

She let go of his chin, hesitantly holding his hands once more. "Your compassion for life Henry, I hope you can still see that."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silence filled the room, so much that Henry could hear the movements of the tenants downstairs. He blocked the sounds and focused to the warm body next to him. Her kind words warmed his, easing the pain of his damaged soul. His hand began to caress his partner's knuckles, reveling in the joy his heart felt as the tension in her body eradicated.

"As you can tell, I'm not much for…uh-"

"Expressing your emotions?"

Vicki rose her eyebrows in mock defense, knowing that little gesture would cause her undead partner to smirk. Slowly but surely, Henry was allowing her to push aside the past night. "It's…taken me some time, and still has, to let people in. I just hope that you can be patient with me Henry, and know that I am trying to be a better partner…and friend."

She ended her speech with her head cast aside, a little unsure of what else there was to say. She removed her hand form Henry's grasp, fidgeted with her hands, something that seemed to calm her nerves. Of course she was interested in Henry; how could one not be!? His mysterious and charming ways intrigued Vicki, creating butterflies in her stomach that she once had before, with Mike. She was not sure of what her feelings would be in the future, when even Vicki herself was unsure of her emotions.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Henry gave Vicki all the time she needed to speak. He was carefully not to interrupt, or assume anything. Hearing her speak with such vulnerability made his mind put away the images of Javier Mendoza and his conquest of cleansing the damned. He respected Vicki for letting him see the one side she was afraid to show people. A strong independent ex-cop who took her unfortunate circumstances into a life changing decision, where she reclaimed the sense of contempt in her new found method of helping those that needed it.

"And I respect that Victoria. Thank you for honoring me to listen to that part of your life."

Henry and Vicki sat on the couch in silence. Henry enjoyed the sound of Vicki's steady heartbeat and the flow of her crimson elixir that pounded underneath her tanned skin. Henry took pleasure in this reach of understanding between one another. Vicki, however, hated the silence. She already felt naked by exposing a little bit herself was enough; now the silence was killing her. She began to fidget uncomfortably in her seat, nervous by the somewhat sensual stares Henry was giving her.

"Well let's not mope around here anymore." Vicki broke the silence, standing up from her current position. She walked a few steps and stopped, waiting for Henry to react. "What's there to do around here anyway?"

"Well, I do have in mind an interesting form of entertainment that we both can enjoy?

_Well, he's back to his usual self_. "Yeah nice try Your Grace," Vicki sarcastically replied.

Henry bowed in response, displaying his usual charm on the PI. "I aim to please milady. There happens to be a late night cinema open blocks away if you're up for it this evening?"

"I think I can handle that," she said reaching for her leather jacket. However, she found her coat already in Henry's hands, draping it over her shoulders.

"Shall we?" he asked. Vicki nodded in response, trotting ahead of Henry, as he shut the door behind his back. She wasn't sure how things would turn out exactly, but Vicki Nelson was sure of one thing: that Henry Fitzroy, vampire prince, would be with her every step of the way.


End file.
